Compare towns
Johnstown vs Milo vs Ripton vs Waterloo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Johnstown has the most renters (39.7% rent).
Milo has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Waterloo has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Johnstown | Milo | Ripton | Waterloo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,111Highest |
6,823 |
508Lowest |
7,324 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±4.8 13% above U.S. |
42.7±5.2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
45.4±3.1 17% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.8%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Milo and Johnstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.9%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,763±$9k 21% below U.S. |
$62,500±$9kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$63,226±$11k 22% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $157,800±$11k 53% below U.S. |
$165,200±$16k 50% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$117,500±$8kLowest 65% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $914±$43 35% below U.S. |
$733±$137Lowest 48% below U.S. |
— | $922±$39Highest 35% below U.S. |
| Waterloo and Johnstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,613 16% above U.S. |
$3,425 10% above U.S. |
$4,915Highest 58% above U.S. |
$3,396Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.2%±12 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.6%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1941Lowest 39 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 39% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #403 of 484 in NY | #84 of 484 in NY | — | #340 of 484 in NY |
| School district | JOHNSTOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | PENN YAN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | WATERLOO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | JOHNSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL | PENN YAN ACADEMY | None in town | WATERLOO HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
9.8 |
— | 9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.